My Story

 My Journey

Thanks for visiting my page! It is currently under renovation, but feel free to reach out to me via email with any questions: kishii@kristymariko.com

Why did I move to Japan?

When I first came to Japan, I wanted to find a missing piece of my identity. I felt void, of my Japanese-ness. I look Japanese, but there is nothing about me that is Japanese, culturally. I am 4.5 generation Japanese American, which means my great-great grandparents were the first of our family to immigrate to America. In 1943 during WWII, our relatives lost acres of property, photos, culture, and language abilities. When I moved to Japan in 2016, my Americanness stood out, I had to learn Japanese from the basics, and I had the chance to speak and meet with a distant relative of mine (Bachan’s younger cousin), and she gave me the chance to remove the void that I thought I needed to fill.

 

My move to the big city, Tokyo

Once JET was nearing its two-year mark, I knew it was time to leave. My next goal was to get to Tokyo and find a job that was not English teaching. I missed the city life of meeting new people, organizing events, and connecting folks from various circles.

I started a new job, moved into a new home, and began a new lifestyle in Tokyo in August of 2018. My immediate goal was to earn more money and be successful in recruiting, but I also wanted to connect with people in the greater community. By nature of being a recruiter and a community leader (President of JACL Japan Chapter 2017 - 2021), connecting with people happened as a by-product of living in the city. Every week I met between 10-15 new people, many with extraordinary life stories to share…

 

A Pandemic Shift: The Transition, Self Discovery & Inner Work

After 3 months of pure self discovery, a repatriation to the USA, and a C-19 related layoff, I found myself starting to regain traction. As I was gaining momentum forward, another unexpected turn of events put my plans on hold. In the final days of the wildfire evacuation, I decided that I wanted to start my own online coaching business, so I hired my first 1:1 Business Coach for 3 months, and applied for a year long certification program that changed my life. Now, 18 months post repatriation to the USA, I am living in my dream apartment with office space, and supporting people through life-changing customized 1:1 and group coaching programs in English and Japanese.

 

Why Your Story Matters

  • How you speak about yourself & present your story to others, and how you talk to yourself (inner critic voice) heavily impacts your life trajectory.

  • Surrounding yourself with the right people, that will encourage you and offer support where you need it, is just one of the reasons why positive influence and positive self talk are so critical to personal transformation.

  • I help others find strength in their past and present selves, through transformational 1:1 private coaching.

  • If you’re ready to talk about how you’re going to turn your dreams into a reality, check out the 1:1 Coaching programs here.

10 interesting facts about Kristy

  • 01

    Co-produced a documentary that was screened at the LA AA Film Festival 2016.

  • 02

    Learned a second language (Japanese) in my 20s.

  • 03

    My grandparents were incarcerated during WWII (E.O. 9066), in Tule Lake, Poston, Amache, and Crystal City.

  • 04

    Played competitive softball for 9 years

  • 05

    Joined a men's A-League baseball team in Gunma, Japan.

  • 06

    Met with long lost relatives in Kagoshima, Japan.

  • 07

    Moved from Tokyo → Saitama → Salinas → San Diego → Los Angeles in 2020-2021

  • 08

    Taught English to Junior High students abroad

  • 09

    Spent over 12+ years, organizing, creating, and building communities in the US and Japan.

  • 10

    I bake shokupan. Check out @kosukosu_pan on IG!